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Housework 'not strenuous enough' for exercise

Housework and DIY are not strenuous enough to count towards people's activity targets, a paper has found.

It had been thought they could count towards the recommended 150 minutes of moderately intense activity per week. But the BMC Public Health study, which surveyed over 4,500 adults, found those who counted housework were heavier than those who did other activities. Experts said activities only counted when they made breathing more rapid and the heart beat faster.

NHS recommendations do say housework does not count towards the 150-minute goal. But the researchers in this paper say there has been a move towards promoting a "lifestyle approach" to physical activity - encouraging "domestic" activities in people who may not take part in sports or go to the gym. And they warn that, while any activity is better than none, people should be aware that they still need to meet the moderate activity target on top.